Realization
by voice of morgoth
Summary: Dipper has been having unnatural desires for Mabel. What happens when he finally confronts these? Pinecest. Because sanity is overrated. Prequel to Separation Anxiety.


The room is silent and dark. Dipper tosses and turns, feeling the weight of his inner demons tear into his mind. He has enough time to remember the last half of his dream, the secret desire that hurts in his chest rising to the surface with his waking moment.

"_Ugh, shut up brain."_

Dipper moves out of his bed and wanders out the door. He stumbles into the bathroom and drops onto the toilet. As he relieves himself, he can't help but focus on his latest foray into forbidden territory. He dreamed that he was back in Gravity Falls with Mabel. The twins were playing in the forest, the lights of fireflies glittering around them as Dipper jumped on Mabel, bringing the pair rolling into the grass, gazing into each other's eyes before they moved into a kiss.

"_My brain isn't just screwed up, its clichéd."_ Dipper thinks with a light laugh. As Dipper finishes up, the room suddenly opens. Mabel stumbles in rubbing sleep from her eyes as Dipper panics and covers himself with a line of toilet paper.

"Mabel!"

"Oh, sorry broski." Mabel says. She turns around and darts outside, closing the bathroom door.

"You should learn to lock the door."

"And you need to learn to knock."

"I did knock."

"Oh."

The pair laugh awkwardly as Dipper pulls his underwear back up and stumbles towards the sink, washing his hands as Mabel walks back in.

"I'll catch you later." Dipper says as he moves past her. The sight of her face illuminated by the blue light is enough to ignite a tiny flame in his chest, a flame he does his best to smother.

"_She's just your sister, stupid. Just think, in a couple of years you'll get through this stupid phase."_

Dipper laughs as he gets back in the bed. He's thought he'd be past this awkward phase before, able to hold off his strange urges. But instead of vanishing, within the past year they have simply grown stronger and Dipper finds it harder to hold back on telling her.

"_She'd think you're a freak, you freak, so just drop it."_

Dipper pulls the covers over before the door creaks open. Dipper turns his head to spot Mabel coming into the room.

"You mind if I stay in here, little brother?"

"Little? You think that just because you kept that millimeter on me that I'm the little brother?" Dipper asks with a sly grin.

"Well, yeah, and I'm older and more mature."

"Yeah, older by five minutes Mrs. Glitter von Sugar." Dipper replies sarcastically.

Dipper and Mabel laugh before Mabel jumps in the bed with him, pulling the sheets over. Dipper feels his face turning red and the paranoid teen is certain that Mabel can see him flush, even in the darkness. He turns around, putting his back to her.

"Hey, I didn't get in bed with you to talk to the back of your head." Mabel says teasingly.

"Well, I don't want to fall asleep like that and have us breathing in each other's faces all night. We don't need to be sharing the germs."

"Oh, come on; sharing is caring, oh germaphobic one." Mabel says as she wraps her arms around Dipper, pulling him closer. Dipper's heart speeds up, a tingling that begins in his chest and shoots down lower, his member shifting at the touch. Dipper can feel her breath on the back of his neck. He can feel her heat, and it drives him crazy.

"_Brain, why do you hate me?"_

"So Dipper, what do you want to do tomorrow?"

"I don't know. I'll probably stay here."

"Okay. You want to marathon the Duck-tective trilogy?"

"Don't you have a date tomorrow?"

"Ah, who cares; Ryan can wait. Besides, I'm probably going to break up with him."

"Really? Isn't he good?"

"He's nice, but he's kind of a dork."

"And I'm not?" Dipper blurts out, not realizing what he's said until it's too late.

"_Fuck you brain! Fuck you!"_

"Yeah, but you're the good dorky and he's the 'dorky' dorky." Mabel says, unaware of Dipper's Freudian slippage. Dipper sighs, thankful for Mabel's obliviousness.

Before he can completely relax, Mabel pulls him closer, enveloping him between her arms.

"_Damn you, cruel unseen god!"_

He tenses up and looks down, seeing Mabel's hands dig their way into his shirt. She hugs him close to her body. He wants to enjoy the touch of her skin against his. He wants this moment to last, but at the same time he's afraid. He knows that he's messed up and that Mabel would force him away if she found out. But still, watching her hold him close to her, forcing the two together, he can't help but wonder.

"_Could she actually? No, of course not. She just needs my support to break up with Ryan. She's always needed me to help her with that. Stop getting your hopes up, you dumb redneck brain."_

"Love you, Dips." she mutters before dosing off.

"Love you too, Mabel."

"_More than you know."_

Dipper falls asleep, relaxing into Mabel's embrace. He dreams of being back in Gravity Falls, fighting a giant boar. Dipper bravely defends Mabel from the mad beast with a spear, wounding the creature in the chest and forcing it off. The dream shifts back into the Mystery Shack at midnight as Mabel and him watch a nonexistent movie as they move closer and closer to each other. And in his dreams, he lifts up a plate of spaghetti and starts sucking in a strawberry scented noodle, moving closer as Mabel chews down on the other end, the pair meeting in the middle for a kiss. They jolt away, laughing awkwardly before moving in for a proper kiss. They laugh again before Dipper moves in to take another bite of the oddly scented food.

"_Strawberry spaghetti. You're my favorite."_

Dipper shifts in place; awareness slowly returning as his mind's wiring reactivates.

"_Spaghetti. Strawberry… that's not right."_ Dipper thinks as the light of the sun slowly creeps back into his room.

Dipper opens his eyes, looking around in the light before focusing in front of him.

"_Mabel._" he thinks with a smile as he watches his sister sleep, having rolled over in the night. Then Dipper notices the strange texture around his mouth. He looks down, realizing he's been chewing on Mabel's strawberry scented hair.

He opens his mouth and lets the tangled, saliva covered strands of brown locks fall out.

"_Oops. Well, that explains the spaghetti."_

Mabel shifts in place before dropping her hair over her eyes, hiding them from the sun. She frowns through the strands at the approach of morning, rambling to herself in her sleep. The only words Dipper can make out are whispers of "I love you" and "Stay."

"_I love when she does that._" Dipper thinks before relaxing, enjoying this brief reprise where he doesn't have to hide how he feels.

"Strawberry." Mabel mutters.

"Huh?" Dipper says with a whisper.

Mabel grabs hold of her hair, bringing it up to her lips and chewing on a strand. Dipper stifles a laugh before lightly taking Mabel's hand in his own and threading her hair away from her mouth. The light touch is enough to bring his sister back into the waking world.

"Oh… huh?" she says through her hair, lifting the strands out of the way to allow the morning light in.

"Morning Mabel."

"Morning Dipper." she says in a somber tone.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing… just, how much did you hear?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know I talk in my sleep. What'd I say?"

"You just wanted some strawberries, so your hair was the next best thing." Dipper says with a reassuring smile.

"Oh, okay." Mabel says, letting out a sigh of relief.

Mabel and Dipper slowly shift around, neither finding the need or desire to move from their position. Time stands still as the pair smile and caress each other. Dipper forces his unnatural feelings down to maintain the façade of the good brother. Dipper and Mabel subconsciously move closer to each other, feeling the perfect moment. Dipper sighs, thinking this is the closest that they'll ever be.

"KIDS! BREAKFAST!"

The irritating sound echoes through the lazy teens' ears. Their mother's shriek pulls them from their perfect moment. Dipper moves out of the sheets as he makes his way towards his closet and opens the door. Mabel averts her gaze, giving her brother some semblance of privacy as he takes his raggedy, sleep shirt off and puts on a red t-shirt and blue jeans with cheese dust rubbed off on the side. Mabel looks back to spot Dipper's unkempt appearance.

"You know, Dipper, you may know how to rock the 'slobbish' look, but you aren't going to get any girls that way."

"Eh." Dipper says with a shrug, perfectly content with his current lifestyle of ignoring the females other than Mabel in his life.

"Is that all you can say? 'eh?'" Mabel says in a bossy tone.

"Eh." Dipper responds, a smug grin forming over his face.

He has just enough time to dodge the pillow thrown by Mabel.

"Hey."

"See, you can say something else! You just need the threat of bodily harm."

"A pillow? You think I'm too wimpy to take a pillow?"

"Hey, I am the alpha twin, so I throw with a force that few can survive."

"I'm sure you're a monster at sleepovers with your pillow fighting mastery." Dipper says sarcastically.

Mabel throws another pillow, this time connecting with Dipper's chin. He lets out a mock death cry as he falls to his knees, clinging to his chest as he lifts his other hand up and dramatically shakes at the sky.

"Damn you, hubris!" he bellows dramatically. Mabel laughs, cheering up from her earlier gloominess as she moves out of the bed, tossing the sheets to the floor as she stands up and stretches. Dipper notices that Mabel doesn't have a bra on; her nipples are poking through the fabric, almost as if they're taunting Dipper. Dipper looks down with his face turning red.

"What's wrong?" Mabel asks innocently.

"Uh, you're kind of… not wearing a bra."

"Oh… and I'm fully armed. Torpedoes one and two, away!" Mabel shouts while making a mock explosion sound. Dipper lets out a nervous laugh, coming out like a shout with far too much force.

"You okay, bro?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just kind of embarrassing."

"Yeah, I know. I'll go get dressed; put on something less revealing." Mabel says before she walks out of the room, leaving a nervous Dipper to walk over to the bed with his pillows, dropping onto the bed and burying his face within the cushions.

"_Damn it, Dipper! Stop being such a weirdo!"_

Dipper groans into the pillows while attempting to shake the demons out of his mind with a little dance. Dipper smacks his face into the pillows several times before standing up. The annoyed teenager bumps into his sister in the hallway.

"You ready for breakfast?" Dipper asks.

"Of course; the most important meal of the day, except dessert."

"Dessert isn't a meal."

"It should be." Mabel states in a serious tone before walking past Dipper. Dipper catches a whiff of her hair, the same strawberry scented odor from before. It's the same perfume Mabel's friends use, but when it comes from Mabel, it feels intoxicating. It sends his mind tumbling through fields of joy before falling into a gapping maw as he forces himself to remember that Mabel is just his sister. Dipper follows her down the stairs, watching her Butt bob from side to side to an imaginary beat.

"_Stop looking!"_ Dipper thinks to himself. He doesn't stop looking. He doesn't want to, and he can't force his mind to stop. He succumbs to his primal urge as he watches intently, enjoying every second of Mabel's dance before she's down the stair. That small moment sets a fire in his chest that he tries to suppress.

"_Shit! Just think about… mom and dad making us. Ew, gross. Good. Now think about Soos doing a strip tease. Yuck. Perfect. Now Grunkle Stan naked. My eyes! My brain eyes!_"

Dipper follows Mabel into the kitchen, his throbbing thoroughly crushed by the idea his great uncle nude. Dipper sees his dad sipping on coffee as he reads the morning paper while his mother finishes making the food.

"Oh, hey son!" Dipper's father says energetically.

"Hi Dad. How's it going?"

"Just finishing my coffee before heading out. I got some work to catch up on, so I don't have time to wait for Mom to finish making breakfast."

"That sucks."

"I know, but look at the bright side; more pancakes for you and Mabel." he replies with a smile.

Mabel is already sitting at the table, pulling the chair up and licking her lips in anticipation. Dipper sits on the chair opposite her, sitting next to his father as he tastes the last of the addicting caffeine.

"Well, I need to get going." the twins' father says before standing up. He walks around the table to give his wife a kiss on the cheek before walking back, giving Mabel a friendly pat on the head and eliciting a light giggle from the goofy teenager.

"I'll see you later. Love you, Mabel; love you, Dipper." he says before walking out.

"Love you too, Dad." Dipper says as he waits for the food.

Mabel has taken her fork and knife in her hands. She begins rhythmically pounding the utensils into the table.

"Me hungry! Me hungry!" she starts chanting. She sounds like a tribesperson chanting for rain to fall magically from the sky.

Dipper joins her ritualistic chant as the two wait for their mother to finish cooking. Their mother laughs at the goofy duo as she enjoys their bizarre, childlike behavior.

"Me hungry!" Mabel says as her mother places a plate of pancakes and syrup in front her daughter. Mabel's grin beams to her ears as she greedily digs in, blowing on the first piece of pancake as her spit darts across the room.

"Ah, Mabel! Keep your germs to yourself!" Dipper shouts as his mother gives Dipper his own platter.

"Oh, come on. I'm not contagious!" Mabel says with a grin.

Dipper returns the smile before cutting into his own stack. The twins' mother places a glass of juice in front of Dipper and walks around the side to leave a glass of chocolate milk by Mabel.

"Two tablespoons?" Mabel asks.

"Of course. I remember what you like." her mother replies as she sits down with her own plate.

"So, my favorite twins, what are you going to do today?"

"Oh, I think we're just going to stay home and watch movies." Mabel responds.

"Really? Summer's already half-way over. You should get out of the house more."

"Oh, I already get out of the house plenty. I just want to spend some time with my bro-bro today."

"Alright… hold on, weren't you going out with Ryan today?"

"Um, I no, of course not!" Mabel says rapidly, letting out a nervous chuckle as she finishes.

"Oh… just make sure you let him off easy. You know how he adores you."

"Mom, you're not helping." Mabel says as she releases a nervous sigh.

"Sorry." her mother says before she takes her first bite.

The family goes silent, losing their conversation as they eat. Mabel's already half-way through when Dipper finishes his first piece.

"You're slow, Dipper. They should change your name to Slowpoke Pines."

"It's not a race, Mabel. If it was, I would have won already."

"Oh yeah?" Mabel says, putting down her fork to allow her brother to catch up.

"Yeah." he says arrogantly. After a minute, Dipper and Mabel have an even amount as their mother looks at them worriedly.

"I don't think you two should be doing this. What if you choke?"

Dipper and Mabel both blow a raspberry at their mother as they ready their tools.

"Ready, set, go!" Mabel shouts.

Dipper and her begin cutting into their food and shoving large chunks down their gullet, only half chewing before swallowing and moving onto the next piece. Dipper uses sips of his juice to soften the pieces, allowing them to fall down faster. Dipper is about to win when Mabel picks the last pancake up with her hands, folding it like a taco and shoving it into her mouth.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Dipper shouts.

Mabel mumbles innocently at him as she forces the large chunk of food down her throat, chugging the chocolate milk to loosen the last pancake enough for it to fall down into her belly. Mabel lets out a loud burp as Dipper giggles like a ten year old. Mabel joins him in laughter as their mother smacks her face into her palm, shaking her head at the immature pair as her two children laugh at their own stupidity. Dipper and Mabel take their dishes over to the sink and set them in, leaving for the living room as their mother finishes eating. Mabel plops down on the couch, patting the seat next to her and beckoning Dipper over. Dipper approaches hesitantly before plopping down, attempting to avoid blushing as Mabel pushes him over and rests on his chest peacefully.

"You know, we still need to pop the Duck-tective DVD in." Dipper says.

"Mom can get it." Mabel mutters as she lets out a relieved sigh, holding Dipper down. Their mother eventually walks in, watching the pair with an amused smirk.

"Hey mom, could you get the Duck-tective trilogy and pop it in please?" Dipper asks.

The twins' mother rolls her eyes before retrieving the disk and placing it in the DVD player.

"Thanks." Dipper and Mabel say in unison.

Their mother walks off, leaving Dipper to stretch his hand over to the coffee table and retrieve the remote. After fiddling with the menus, they start the movie series, ready to quote every line of inane idiocy. They only break dialogue to say goodbye to their mother as she leaves to go to work. The clock hands tick by and the first of the movies comes to a close.

"Looks like you 'quacked' the case." Dipper and Mabel say in unison.

"Don't patronize me." appears in subtitles as Dipper and Mabel quack along to the unamused Duck. They giggle immaturely as the credits start playing.

"I love this." Mabel says.

"Me too." Dipper responds while loading up the second movie. They make it twenty minutes into the film before there's a knock on the door. Mabel cheerfully gets up and hops towards the entrance to the Pines' residence, humming as she opens the door. Then she frowns, because Ryan is walking up with flowers in his hand. Ryan hands the bouquet off, smiling warmly.

"Th-thanks." Mabel manages to say before burying her head in the flowers, hiding her disappointment and annoyance from Ryan.

"You mind if I come in?"

"No, please."

"Oh, should I come back later?" Ryan replies. Dipper has managed to make his way towards the door, giving Mabel a layer of support with his presence.

"Ryan, no…"

"Okay, so when should I be back? Aren't we going out to that fancy diner place?"

"Ryan, no… just, just no."

"Oh… is… is this it?"

Mabel nods in confirmation before handing back the flowers.

"But… but we had something." Ryan says as tears form in his eyes.

"Sorry, it's nothing personal. You're a good guy, it's just not, you know, working out, so to speak, okay?"

Ryan walks away, his head lowered in shame as he drops the flowers into the grass. Dipper can't help but form a possessive smile, the instinctual part of his brain taking over. His face returns to a neutral gaze just as Mabel turns around, walking back somberly to the couch.

"Come on, Mabel. There's no need to get all sad. It was just a breakup." Dipper says as he walks back in and drops next to her.

"Oh, but you saw how sad he was."

"He'll get over it, eventually."

"Oh, but what if… ugh, just play the movie." Mabel says with a pout.

Dipper obeys, taking the remote and continuing the second film. Mabel eventually rejoins Dipper in their obsessive parroting of the series, his enthusiasm dragging her out of her emotional slump. They finish the second movie in giggles as Mabel relaxes onto Dipper's shoulder.

"So, what do you want to do for lunch?" Dipper asks.

"I don't know. Let's just get a sandwich. Maybe we'll head out to that restaurant for dinner."

"The fancy one?"

"Yeah, I've already got a reservation. Don't want to waste anyone's time setting up a table for nothing."

"That… that doesn't make much sense."

"Of course it does; if I don't show up, then they'll have spent like thirty minutes waiting for us, time they could have spent serving another customer, then they lose money! It's rude."

"Alright. I'm not complaining, so long as you're buying."

"Well, technically our parents are buying, but whatever; they've already lent their little angel the money." Mabel says with a flick of her wrist, feigning a royal pompousness at not having to work for the cash.

"Yeah, how nice. Just don't tell dad, he'll probably want the money back."

"Ooh, Dipper, you bad boy." Mabel says in a voice that comes across as far too sultry. Mabel laughs awkwardly as Dipper joins her, poking her in the arm to lighten the mood.

"Yep, I'm bad to the bone."

"B-b-b-b-bad to the bone."

The pair snicker before they get up and walk towards the kitchen. Mabel and Dipper throw together a pair of sandwiches of fake turkey, pepper jack cheese, and pickles. Mabel squirts mustard onto the top of her food in the shape of a friendly, smiling face before picking up the last slice of bread.

"Hello Mr. Mustard, Oh no, here comes the bread! Squish."

Dipper smiles warmly, enjoying every moment of Mabel's bizarre company. Her jokes, her bubbliness, her deranged, beaming smile.

"I love you, sis." he says in a not completely platonic way.

"Love you too, lebroski."

The pair sit down at the kitchen table. Dipper gives Mabel a warm smile that she returns before he bites into his sandwich.

"_She'll never return my feelings, but at least this is nice._"

"This is nice. We should just hang out all day more often, Dipper."

"Ah, yeah, that would be good. Watch goofy movies and play games and whatnot."

"Yeah. Much better than some boring ol' evening with Ryan."

Dipper pauses for a second, looking at Mabel intently. She's simply eyeing her food, not paying attention to him as she bites in.

"Yeah." Dipper responds, burying the hope he feels as he eats his meal.

As the pair finish, Mabel wipes her hands with a napkin while Dipper rubs his hands up and down his pants.

"Really, Dipper?" she says while pointing to the unused napkin on Dipper's side of the table.

Dipper gives Mabel a shrug.

"Force of habit." he says before standing up and taking his plate to the sink, joining Mabel as she washes her hands. Mabel dries her hands off on Dipper's pants, giving him an innocent smile as she shrugs. Dipper gives Mabel an evil eye, keeping his face stern and serious.

"I'm sorry Mr. Pines. I'll go to time out now." Mabel says, making her voice sound small and pitiful like a child. Dipper tries to maintain his serious façade, but it easily cracks when Mabel looks at him with sad puppy eyes. Dipper and Mabel start laughing before walking back into the living room. The pair relax on the couch, sitting on opposite sides of the loveseat.

"So, you wanna get the last one going, Sir Dipsalot, or should we just cuddle?"

Dipper looks at her and a selfish desire takes over.

"We could just relax and hold each other." he blurts out.

Mabel scoots over and leans on Dipper's shoulder, the pair slowly inching downwards. Within several minutes, Dipper is laying on the couch with Mabel, trying to steady his racing heart as he holds her close, the scent of her perfume inching into his nose and teasing him. She's lying on him and their bodies mold together, every inch of Dipper's front meeting with a part of Mabel. Dipper's no longer happy, but annoyed. He's annoyed by his own recklessness.

"_Good job brain, you selfish jerk. Now what's the next step of your master plan?_"

"Uh, bro?" Mabel asks as she chuckles, leaning up and blushing.

Dipper looks down and spots the source of her embarrassment, grabbing his face and moaning in humiliation as he sees his erection poking through his pants.

"It's okay, broseph. I know those thing-a-lings have a mind of their own."

Dipper groans in shame.

"You're not helping Mabel." he mutters with his palms muffling the sound of his voice. Mabel snickers as she moves away, hiding her own awkward reddening as Dipper tries to steady his nerves and nether regions.

"_Just think about… really, really fat people having awkward, gross, cheese smelling sex. Yuck. Now think about how hideous those mascot people probably are underneath. And now… Damn it brain! Stop thinking about Mabel! Agh!_"

Dipper feels his member twitch again. He stands up silently and begins walking away.

"Where're you going?" Mabel asks innocently.

"I need to use the bathroom." Dipper whispers, his voice shriveled and all but unnoticeable.

Mabel doesn't reply; she simply hides her face in her hands, attempting not to laugh at her brother's predicament. Mabel waits on the couch for her brother. Dipper returns several minutes later with a blank face.

"So, start the next movie?" Mabel asks, trying to lighten the mood. Dipper nods before fetching the remote, playing the last of the Duck-tective movies. Mabel and Dipper remain silent, occasionally glancing awkwardly at each other. Dipper is worried; he knows that Mabel recognizes all his tells, his faces, and his emotions. He remains silent; hoping that Mabel hadn't figured out that she, specifically, was the reason for his manhood's reaction. Dipper continues to stare at the screen; half-way through the movie, the infamous Duck-tective walks out of a bathroom stall.

"Finish 'uncorking' in there?" the constable asks his feathered friend, who gives the policeman an annoyed glare.

Dipper starts giggling, a pained squeal coming out of his lungs as he finally gets the joke. He's pained as he holds onto his sides with tears forming in his eyes.

"Is something wrong, bro?" Mabel asks worriedly.

"Ducks!… corkscrew!..." Dipper shouts through his awkward laughter.

"Uh, does Dipper need his happy pills?" Mabel asks in a joking manner.

"I'm sorry…" Dipper says as he wipes the tears from his eyes. He steadies his mad laughter, holding back the desire to burst out giggling again.

"…it's just, I remember reading about ducks in biology. They've got corkscrew shaped penises." Dipper says as he laughs again. Mabel puts the joke together and starts giggling along with Dipper; the uncomfortable silence gives way to insane laughter as the earlier tension dissipates.

"Oh, those sneaky writers." Mabel says playfully.

"I'm surprised nobody caught that."

"Well, duck genitalia isn't exactly common knowledge, and I doubt the party poopers in charge of censorship care about it."

"I doubt they even know how their own bodies work."

"They probably still believe in the stork."

"That's what their wives and the pool boy always tell them."

Dipper and Mabel laugh again, the movie playing in the background as they move closer.

"Let's not let awkward human body-workings get in the way, again. That's how grumpy old farts who hate fun start." Mabel says.

"Yeah, it is kind of silly, getting worked up over nothing."

The two let out a collective sigh of relief. Dipper and Mabel move in close and hold each other's hands as they finish the movie, going back to quoting every other line as they laugh along to the finale of the absurd series. The pair stand up and stretch as the credits role before Dipper turns the T.V. off.

"So, we've got about three hours until dinner. You want to go play some games?" Dipper asks.

"Alrighty, Mr. Piney."

Dipper starts walking up the stairs to his room with Mabel following behind.

"So, True Duck-tective or the Crimson Chin's Final Bout?" Dipper asks.

"Crimson Chin." Mabel replies as she jumps on Dipper's bed.

Mabel beats Dipper fourteen to twelve, fist pumping at her first clear victory over Dipper at his favorite game.

"Alpha twin! Alpha twin!" Mabel shouts in victory.

"Yeah, yeah. In a real fight, you'd be toast." Dipper boasts.

Mabel responds by tackling her brother to the floor, grabbing under his arm pits and tickling him.

"Oh come on! Stop! No fair!" Dipper shouts as he tries to force Mabel off.

"All's fair in love and war! Now say Grunkle!" Mabel responds as she giggles.

"Never!"

"Say it!" Mabel yells.

"Oh fine! Grunkle! Grunkle!"

Mabel releases her brother from her iron grip, allowing him to stand and attempt to recover his dignity. Dipper rubs the creases out of his clothes as he steadies his breathing.

"So, food?" Mabel asks.

"Of course."

"You buying?" Mabel jokes.

"I can't; I lost all my money."

"Well, then we have to go on an epic quest to reclaim it!"

"Great, we'll start tomorrow. We'll find thirteen short people with a bad temper and a confused old man who thinks he's magic to help us out."

Mabel laughs as her brother looks on sternly, doing his best impression of a determined warrior looking on into the distance, ready for a grand adventure.

"Come on Dorkus Baggins, let's go get some food." Mabel says mockingly.

The pair make their way outdoors and take their bicycles out of the garage; just before they ride off Ryan comes running over. Mabel lets out a frustrated sigh as he walks up to her with a large bouquet filled with roses and daylilies and a box of chocolates.

"Mabel, wait." Ryan says as Mabel and Dipper wheel their bikes out of the driveway.

"What?" Mabel says in an annoyed tone.

"I know we felt something together. I know it, so please, just listen to me."

"Ryan…" Mabel says sadly, looking down to avoid her ex's eyes as he takes out a piece of paper, ready to recite a love poem written from his cheesy, fifteen year old heart.

"Mabel, you are like the stars; beautiful and twinkling bright.  
>You are the candle in my chest, breaking up the dark with your light-"<p>

"Ryan, please stop-"

"You are the most beautiful flower! Your gaze steady and wondrous as the dawn!  
>You are-"<p>

"Ryan, what are you doing?" Dipper says as he pushes into view, glaring into the eyes of the broken-hearted teenager. Dipper is angry now; the two sides of his personality find common ground. The brotherly instinct that gives Dipper the desire to protect Mabel; and the darker, jealous side that's annoyed whenever meeting one of Mabel's boyfriends.

"I… this doesn't concern you!" Ryan says as he tries to hold his ground.

"Ryan, she already broke up with you. You can't force it back together." Dipper states sternly. His voice is cold and his eyes are filled with dread and malice.

"But… but we were connected."

Mabel groans in aggravation, finding the courage to stand with her brother as she moves off her bike and looks at Ryan.

"Ryan, please stop. We only dated two months. You'll find someone else, okay? You're a good kid." Mabel says as she grabs Ryan's hand and gives it a friendly squeeze. Ryan looks up at her with big, sad eyes.

"Could I have… one last kiss?" Ryan asks with a needy whine.

"_All right, that's it."_ Dipper thinks, but before he can beat the annoying teen down, Mabel walks up to Ryan.

"One kiss on the cheek." the overly trusting sister says.

"Okay." Ryan says.

As Mabel presents her cheek, Ryan moves in. Dipper can see it in the teen's eyes. That last, desperate, idiotic attempt to win back Mabel. Ryan grabs Mabel and pulls her in, kissing her deeply. Dipper grabs him by the shoulder and flings the kid into the grass.

"Go away." Dipper says coldly as Mabel rubs the wetness from her mouth in disgust.

"Dipper, let's go." Mabel says.

"Where are you going?" Ryan asks pathetically.

"Dipper and I are going to the Salina's up the road."

"You dumped me for your brother?"

Mabel and Dipper both let out an awkward, forced laugh.

"Well, when you put it like that it sounds freaky deaky, but no. I just happened to still have the reservation."

Dipper and Mabel ride off, leaving the sad, creepy kid behind.

"_Serves that creep right. Yeah, like you're the one to judge, Mr. 'has a crush on his sister' Pines."_

Dipper chuckles to himself at how screwed up he's become as he follows Mabel to the restaurant, watching her butt move and bob with the rhythm of the bicycle. The twins pull up and chain their bikes outside before walking into the restaurant. Dipper follows Mabel as she skips happily in and greets the server in the front.

"So, how may I serve this nice, young couple?" the server asks.

Dipper and Mabel laugh awkwardly.

"Actually, we're twins." Mabel responds.

"Oh, alright, my apologies. Right this way."

Dipper and Mabel take their seat by the window. The waitress comes over as Dipper laughs at Mabel, who's currently grabbing her mouth and pulling open, exposing her teeth and mashing down as her eyes roll up in her head.

"Brains." Mabel drones.

"We don't serve that here." the waitress replies in a sarcastic tone.

"Oh, hello. Could we both get a kiddie cocktail?" Dipper asks.

"Sure. I'll be right back."

Mabel opens her menu and starts looking randomly through the choices. Dipper watches her happily, this tiny moment together putting a fluffy, lightness in his chest as he loses track of the fact that the two are related. Here, he can at least pretend that the two are on a date. Dipper opens his own menu, looking down the choices methodically with his finger before the drinks are delivered to their table.

"So, you two need a minute?" the waitress asks when she returns.

"I'm good; Dipper?"

"Yeah, I've decided. I'll get the spaghetti with spicy red sauce."

"I'll have the Caesar salad."

"Saving room for cake?"

"Of course."

"All right, I'll be back with your orders right away." the waitress responds before taking the menus. She leaves the pair of odd siblings behind as Mabel begins stirring her drink playfully.

"So Dipper, what do you want to do tomorrow?"

"Don't know. You want to just stay at home again?"

"Maybe we could go hang out with our friends tomorrow."

"I know Chad's back in town from visiting his mother. We'll go tag along to a movie or something with him."

"That'd be nice." Mabel says before taking a sip. Dipper watches her lips suck in the contents of the glass before turning away in shame of his own mind.

"So, what're you thinking about?" Mabel asks.

"Huh?" Dipper responds before looking back, torn from whatever dark train of paranoid thought he was on.

"You've got that 'thinking' face on. In fact, you've been having it on a lot lately."

"Is it that obvious?"

"Duh. I can read you like an open book."

"Then you should already know what I'm thinking of."

Dipper looks Mabel in the eyes, challenging her to read his mind. Mabel puts on her serious face, trying to gaze into Dipper's consciousness and discern his thoughts.

"_You're cute, Mabel. I'm sorry I'm such a weirdo, but let's see you guess these thoughts._"

"Hmm… you're thinking about… a girl?"

Dipper buries the slight fear he feels beneath a shell of indifference, but the split second of worry on his face is enough for Mabel to detect.

"You _are_ thinking about a girl!"

"_Oh, shit. Do twins really share thoughts? That was always my biggest fear._"

"Uh, alright… I am."

"Who is it?"

"Eh… it's nothing, really."

"Oh, come on. Who is it? Whoisitwhoistwhoisit?"

Mabel is practically bouncing in her seat with anticipation. Dipper designs a lie in his head before letting a smirk come over his face.

"…it's Laura."

"Laura? You said she was annoying. All pompous and 'look at me! Look at me!'"

"Stop." Dipper says embarrassedly.

"Those were your words, bro! What changed?"

"Eh, just… stuff." Dipper says, looking down to try and hide his face as he stares into his beverage.

"Stuff, eh? Noticed the goods? Taken a gander at her bouncing, bumptious beauty?"

"Mabel, shut up." Dipper whispers through clenched teeth. Mabel snickers at her brother, further humiliating him.

"Oh, it's fine, bro-bro. I'm happy for you." Mabel says in a serene tone as she grabs Dipper's hand and gives an affection squeeze, her earlier bubbliness giving way to a saddened smile.

"_Is she sad? Strange._"

"Oh, speak of the deviless." Mabel says as she eyes her friend coming in. Laura notices Mabel and abandons her group of fashion obsessed divas temporarily. Dipper looks at the non-crush, seeing her larger than average breasts heave with every step and barely contained within the sparkly, dark blue dress.

"Hello Mabel. I didn't know you liked Salina's." Laura says in a sophisticated, arrogant tone.

"Oh, it's my first time here, me and my bro."

Laura turns to face Dipper. Dipper hadn't bothered to redress, deciding that his greasy slacks and red undershirt with dried stains were enough. Laura gives him a curious and half-disgusted look.

"_This_ is Dipper?" Laura says in an obnoxious tone.

"Yes." Dipper responds before extending a hand out, ignoring Laura's rudeness. Laura reluctantly takes it, holding his hand delicately with her fingers and shaking slowly. As she lets go, she wipes her hand on the back of her dress, not caring about insulting Dipper's personal lack of hygiene.

"I always thought you were just Chad's friend."

"Why'd you think that? Mabel and I have hung out before." Dipper says.

"Well, Mabel always spoke of you like you were… larger, more toned. You look like you need a total makeover!" Laura blurts out.

"Is that an offer?" Dipper says with a sly grin, ignoring Laura's arrogant attitude.

Laura goes silent, not knowing how to respond to the pitiful pick-up line. She simply turns to Mabel with a questioning gaze. Mabel nods in confirmation; Laura turns back, her face turning pale as Dipper looks at her with an unintentionally creepy grin.

"Ah, sorry Dipper, but I'm… gay." Laura says before walking away hastily, attempting to avoid the awkward conversation that would surely follow.

"Well, that ship has sailed." Mabel says in a mocking tone.

"Sailed, hit an iceberg, and is now going down to the Marianas Trench, never to be recovered." Dipper responds happily.

"I thought you'd be sad."

"Nah, I never stood a chance with a high-class one like her."

"High-class bitch." Mabel says before covering her mouth, shocked at her own language.

"Mabel! For shame!" Dipper replies playfully.

"Well, I'm sorry. It's just she was so rude to you."

"Well, I did underdress for the occasion."

"Yeah, but anyone with eyes and a brain could see the _you_ underneath all that."

The two go silent for a couple seconds before Dipper responds.

"Thank you."

"Oh, no problamo, Mr. Brobato, broski, my brother in arms." Mabel says rapidly and nervously, as if she's trying to remind herself that Dipper is her brother.

"_It can't be._" Dipper thinks, his mouth becoming a wide smile as he notices the waitress returning with the twins' food.

"Oh, dinner, food! Let's eat!" Mabel says hurriedly, attempting to drop the non-existent conversation about her brother's looks and how much she adores them.

The two start eating in awkward silence before Dipper tries to start up a conversation.

"So, Mabel, maybe Wednesday we'll head over to the pool. We haven't gone in a while."

"That'd be nice, although I need a new swimsuit."

"What's wrong with the other one?"

"Um… size increase." Mabel says, motioning a circle around her chest. Dipper looks down awkwardly as he twirls the spaghetti with his fork, taking in another bite of the peppery red noodles.

"So, Dipper, what do you want to do when we get home?"

"Watch T.V. for a bit, maybe we'll catch up on that Crimson Chin marathon."

"Sounds like a plan." Mabel says as she finishes her salad.

By the time Dipper's finished with his meal, Mabel has already shoved her fork into her second slice of cheesecake.

"That can't be good for you, you know."

"That's why I ate a light dinner and lunch. Save room for the best stuff. You want a bite?"

"I'll have some."

Dipper cuts a small piece off the end, eating the fat-filled cheese as small crumbs dust his shirt. This time he's polite enough to use the green dinner towel to wipe it off.

"At least you have some manners, Dipper."

"Well, I have to draw the line somewhere."

Dipper and Mabel finish the slice of cake before Mabel takes a wad of loose money and change out of her pockets and sets it on the table.

"Come on, let's get going." Mabel says

"Won't we need change?"

"Eh, the waitress was nice enough. She can keep it."

"Just make sure Dad doesn't hear about it. He'll through a fit."

Dipper and Mabel stand up and walk away, passing by Laura's table. Dipper clicks his fingers like a gun as he aims at Laura, a sly gesture that makes her look away in revulsion. Dipper and Mabel snicker to each other as they walk out of the building, leaving Mabel's friend behind.

"Yeah, you're a real ladies' man, bro."

"I try."

The pair laugh as they retrieve their bikes and ride back home, watching the last hours of daylight as the sky turns red. Dipper looks at Mabel with the crimson sky glistening radiating off her hair. And now he feels happy; the small shred of hope that Mabel might return his strange feelings. Dipper and Mabel walk in the door to find their father laughing along to a show from the living room.

"So, what's so funny, Dad?" Dipper asks.

"Oh, just these two freaks on 'Why You Ackin' so Cray Cray?'"

Dipper and Mabel walk over and sit down on the couch next to their father, who's currently watching two poorly dressed young adults lunge at each other as security walks in to break them up, all the while the crowd is chanting "Cray Cray!"

"So, what have these two done?" Mabel asks.

"Some redneck cousins fighting over a paternity test. Honestly, I have no idea where they find these types."

"The Deep South, probably." Dipper says.

"_Or right next to you._" he thinks.

"Yeah. I mean, what causes this shit?"

"Sometimes, humans just become… different."

"That's an understatement."

"Well, whatever."

"Come on, Dipper, these people are weirdos. Right Mabel?"

Mabel is jolted from her thoughts. She's thinking deeply about the two strangers, and Dipper wonders if it's because she finds something in common with them.

"Well, yeah…" she starts. Dipper feels his heart falter slightly.

"…but if they don't get up in everyone's faces, then who am I to judge?" she finishes.

Dipper looks towards her out of the corner of his eye and spots Mabel doing the same.

"Come on, Mabel, don't be a kidder. These people are freaks. You can't trust them." her father says, chuckling when the couple onscreen starts trying to fight each other again.

Mabel simply shrugs, not willing to argue the fundamentals of incestuous relationships with her father.

"Come on, Dipper, back me up. You're the biology professor here, right? Explain to Mabel what happens when two kissin' cousins get freaky."

"Actually…" Dipper starts with a nervous laugh.

"…when cousins mate, biologically the risk of birth defects is about the same as a couple over the age of forty reproducing."

"Don't bullshit… you're not bullshitting?" his father asks bewilderedly.

"Nope, facts are facts."

"Okay, fine, cousins are just morally weird, but what about the others? What happens when some weirdo decides to bone his sister?"

"Well, yeah, the risks are definitely greater for that, so _that_ wouldn't be allowed." Dipper says, lying about his own feelings.

"See, Mabel?"

"Yeah, I know." Mabel says, finishing with a sad frown that only Dipper can see out of the corner of his eyes. Now Dipper is sure of it; he sees it in her eyes. Mabel stands up and stretches.

"I'm going to go use the bathroom." she says somberly before walking away.

"_And I know that's code for 'hiding under the blanket._'"

"What's with her?" the twins' father asks.

"I think she's just tired. Sugar crash." Dipper says as he watches Mabel walk up the stairs.

"I'm getting tired too, I think I'll head up and watch some Crimson Chin." Dipper says before standing up and cracking his neck and shoulders.

"It's only seven thirty."

"It's summer."

"Enjoy the summer while it lasts, son, because in a couple of years I'll have to kick you out." his dad jokes, eliciting a laugh from Dipper.

"I know. I'll have to get a job before then."

"Damn straight."

Dipper walks away, heading up the stairs to see the bathroom empty and a light under the door to Mabel's room. Dipper knocks lightly.

"Mabel? You mind if I come in?"

No answer. Dipper decides to push his luck. He opens the door to find Mabel hiding underneath her sheets, trying to force the outside world away.

"What's wrong?" Dipper asks in a friendly voice. Mabel doesn't respond, but she sits up, the sheets still protecting her.

"You… want to watch the Crimson Chin? I've got it on my laptop."

Mabel nods from beneath the covers, looking like a kid in a poorly made Halloween costume as her head bobs up and down. Dipper can't help but smile at how adorable he finds her.

"I'll go get the laptop." Dipper says before walking out. He fetches his computer from his room before walking back into Mabel's room. Dipper closes the door until it's almost completely shut, leaving a small sliver of light coming in from downstairs. He walks over to the bed, brushing the stuffed animals out of the way before scooting up next to his sister.

"So, which episode were we on last?" Dipper asks to goad a response out of Mabel.

"Twenty two." she says with a shudder. Dipper and her lay down, Mabel keeping the blanket over her head as she leans back onto her pillow.

"Uh, are you going to come out?"

"I can see from here."

Dipper starts the show as he relaxes, allowing her to maintain her shell of protection. Whenever the outside became too much to deal with, Mabel would retreat within one of her large sweaters or her blankets. Dipper has seen it enough to know what she's feeling by how long she remains underneath.

"_Okay, five minutes usually means she's feeling generally down or just annoyed. Ten minutes means she's sad about something, usually a boyfriend. Fifteen minutes means she's really angry or someone was mean to her, or she's really sad."_

Dipper and Mabel watch the half-hour episode; Dipper turns towards Mabel and sees that she's still under the covers. She's stayed underneath longer than ever before. Not even the breakup with last year's summer crush drove her underneath this bad. Dipper's worried brother instincts take over.

"Mabel, are you okay?"

Mabel shakes her head from within the sheets.

"Mabel… you can tell me anything."

Mabel remains still, the only sound being the credits from the episode they just watched and their dad laughing at the schlock downstairs.

"You know, I don't get why dad's so harsh on those people. Yeah, they're kind of weird, but as long as they don't breed or anything, then who are we to judge?" Dipper says.

Mabel is silent, but Dipper knows that she's looking at him from behind the covers, trying to get a read on his emotions.

"Should I start the next episode?"

Mabel nods from behind her covers. Half-way through, Dipper notices the smell of Mabel's perfume become stronger and looks over. Dipper sees Mabel with reddened eyes, the veins blood red and dried tears on her shirt. But she's smiling, and Dipper lets out a sigh of relief before moving closer and wrapping his arm around Mabel's shoulder, pulling her in. She lets out a pained sigh, but she doesn't move from his grasp. Instead she relaxes, moving her head onto his shoulder and rubbing against him like a puppy. He sees it in her; the same need and want that he has. As the next episode's credits play, Dipper stops the video and turns to look at Mabel. She opens her eyes, looking up into Dipper's with a smile. Dipper lightly brushes the loose strands of hair from her face.

"Mabel, are you ready to tell me what's wrong?"

Mabel's smile falters before she moves away from her brother, looking down ashamedly.

"Mabel, I won't judge you or tell mom or dad or anything. Please, just tell me what's wrong." Dipper says, grabbing hold of Mabel's hand and lightly squeezing it. Mabel is silent.

"Are… are you afraid?"

Mabel nods in confirmation.

"Are you afraid of hurting someone?"

Mabel again nods.

"…Are you afraid of hurting me?"

Mabel doesn't nod; she continues averting her eyes from Dipper's piercing gaze, afraid that he can see into her soul. Dipper moves in closer, spreading his legs out and entangling Mabel as he closes his limbs around her. He can feel her breath now; her aroma, and her mind. He tilts her face up to meet his eyes. She stares into them, losing herself in the warmth she sees in there. She moves her face an inch closer, and Dipper responds by doing the same. They're so close, their eyes blurring as they try to focus on each other's faces. Dipper moves in and kisses Mabel lightly on the lips before moving away. Mabel's face goes blank as more tears form in her eyes.

"_Oh, I fucked it up, didn't I? Now she's going to run screaming down the stairs, and I'm going to jail for being a fucking weirdo and-"_

Dipper's train of thought is cut off by the feeling of warm lips pressed against his. Mabel drags Dipper down into the bed, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him into her chest. Dipper returns her kiss with an equal fervor, grabbing her head with his hand and sliding his other hand up the back of her shirt, rubbing her back affectionately. Dipper pulls her in close, the pair tumbling around the bed as they kick the laptop off to the side and tangle the sheets about as they curl together. A fever takes over them as they continue their heated kiss, growing more and more passionate the longer they stay together. Dipper feels her heat and her happy moans echo down into his throat. Dipper pulls away gasping for air as Mabel steadies her breathing with a large smile on her face.

"How did you know?!" Mabel says before she buries her face within Dipper's neck.

"I thought, like, when we were in the diner and I mentioned Laura, which was a lie, I was thinking about you, but then you seemed sad, and then with the show and those silly cousins, and you standing up to dad, and then all the little signs, and holy shit I love you!"

Dipper and Mabel laugh together as they move in to kiss again, but the sound of footsteps stomping up the stairs drives them apart. Dipper fetches the laptop off the floor, jolting it from its sleep as he readies the next episode of the show. Mabel and Dipper lay back down, trying to look casual as their cheeks flush with an abnormal love. Luckily, their dad decides to go to the bathroom, giving the twins enough time to lose the fluster in their faces. When their father moves in and opens the door the twins are already watching the next episode, all evidence of their new relationship vanished.

"Oh, hey kids. Try not to stay up too late."

"Alright. You going to bed?"

"Yeah, I was going to wait for your mother, but I'm getting exhausted. Long day at work, and I got to get up early again tomorrow. I'll see you in the morning, hopefully. Love you."

"Goodnight." the twins reply together.

"Goodnight."

The twins let out a relieved sigh, thankful for their father's oblivious nature.

"That was a close one." Dipper says.

"Yeah. That was nuts. Dad'll kill us if he finds out."

"And hide the bodies in a swamp."

"I was thinking more a crematory."

"Too many witnesses and the smell would definitely get him caught."

Mabel snickers at Dipper's dark train of thought.

"Yeah. We'll have to make a schedule or something. A way we won't be found out." Dipper says.

"Like what?"

"Well, no more sleeping in the same bed together; we're already too old to be doing that without them getting suspicious. And only do stuff together when we're alone in the house. And we won't be able to kiss in public or anything like that."

"Oh, it'll be fun, having a secret, forbidden boyfriend. Or should I say, bro-friend?" Mabel says as she elbows Dipper playfully. Dipper rolls his eyes and grins at Mabel's silly pun before holding her close, the pair ignoring the Crimson Chin episode as they squeeze each other tight, the sound of the show turning into white noise as they listen to each other's movements and breaths.

"I love you Mabel."

"Love you too, Dipper."

Dipper turns the laptop off and slides it off the bed. The twins move in close, losing themselves in each other as time fades into the background while the pair kiss tenderly. The two explore each other's bodies for the first time as something more than siblings. Strange and tingling sensations shoot up as they feel each other. Dipper senses Mabel slide her hands up his shirt, tickling his chest hairs and nipples. Dipper giggles lightly, the sound echoing through Mabel's mouth as she returns his laughter. The two break away, laughing and embarrassed.

"You always were a ticklish one, bro."

"Not as bad as you." Dipper responds as he moves in, tickling under Mabel's arms and eliciting laughter as she tries to force him back. The twins' door opens slightly, and Mabel spots her mother looking in with a confused gaze. Mabel pushes Dipper away, who turns and finally notices his mother.

"Oh, hello. Didn't hear you come in." Dipper says with a light blush. His mother simply shakes her head and laughs awkwardly before walking towards the bedroom.

Mabel and Dipper snicker at how close they came to being discovered.

"She's like a ninja, that one." Mabel says as she falls back in her bed.

"Yeah, we'll definitely have to keep an eye out. Make sure she's already at work or something before getting too into it."

"Don't need to be getting caught with my new, super-secret boyfriend just yet, right?"

"Definitely not. Family reunions would get pretty awkward."

"Yeah. 'Hey Grunkle Stan! Dipper and I are now dating!'" Mabel says, relieved laughter overcoming her.

"Well, it is getting late and with Mom and Dad both here, we should probably stop."

"Yeah, I know." Mabel says with a disappointed sigh.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Dipper says before giving Mabel one last kiss.

"Goodnight, bro."

Dipper walks out of the room, giving Mabel a wave before heading into his room for the night. Dipper changes into his nighttime clothes, a new pair of underwear and a shirt that's falling apart at the seams. Dipper falls onto his bed, looking up at the ceiling and smiling.

"_I don't know how you did it, but you did it brain._"

Dipper rolls over with the sheets, closing his eyes as he happily falls asleep. Dipper's dreams return Mabel and him to Gravity Falls. The pair are back having fantastical adventures, searching for signs of a UFO. The two roll down into a ditch. Dipper and Mabel smile warmly, holding each other close before moving in for a kiss. The dream shifts into a nightmare. Dipper's old friends from Gravity Falls are watching with judgmental eyes, glaring down at the pair. Dipper and Mabel cower in fear as their family join in judging them, towering above the lonely pair as they're ripped apart. Dipper screams into the blackness, shattering the illusion, leaving a blank landscape with Mabel. Dipper and her reunite as the dreamscape molds back into one room. A shared room together as Dipper and Mabel no longer need to hide. Dipper and Mabel walk over to the bed and lay down together, candles magically appearing within the dream and lining the room romantically. Dipper and Mabel begin kissing, declaring their love for each other as _Livin' on a Prayer_ begins playing through the room.

Dipper rolls around in his bed, before he's interrupted from his sleep.

"Huh?" he mutters to himself as the very real music comes blaring into his room from outside, the light of the morning sun glaring through the window. Dipper takes a new pair of pants and a shirt before retrieving his brown jacket, walking out to see what's causing the racket. Dipper looks into Mabel's room to check up on her. Mabel is holding a pillow over her head and frowning.

"Ryan." she mutters when she spots Dipper.

Dipper groans in annoyance before going and fetching his shoes. The sloppily dressed teen makes his way down the stairs to find his dad sitting at the kitchen table with an annoyed glower on his face at the loud music from outside.

"Who's playing that music?" Dipper's dad asks.

"Mabel's ex, trying to win back her heart by waking her up with obnoxious loud noise."

"How sweet." his dad replies in a sarcastic tone.

"I think it is." the Pines' mother says earnestly from the kitchen.

"No, he's a creep that can't take no for an answer." Dipper responds in an offended tone.

"Oh, you're just being overly protective."

"Mabel broke up with him yesterday, and he ambushed her again outside a couple hours after. He made her promise to give him one last kiss on the cheek."

Dipper's dad, hearing Dipper's explanation, looks up from his paper with an annoyed glare.

"And let me guess; he forced a kiss on her mouth?" Dipper's father responds before taking a sip of coffee.

Dipper nods in confirmation.

"Well, time to go kick his ass." the Pines' father says casually, his wife giving him a scolding shush at his language.

The older man ignores her protests as he leaves the kitchen, walking outside and followed by Dipper. The two angry and protective males find Ryan outside Mabel's window, blasting the music into the room from a radio as Ryan tries to goad Mabel into responding. Dipper walks over and turns the radio off before his dad takes it and throws it to the ground, smashing it to pieces.

"Mabel told you no-" Dipper starts.

"And no means no." his dad finishes.

Ryan slowly backs away before standing his ground.

"I love Mabel with all my heart, and I won't let you control her life!"

Before the pair can pummel Ryan to the ground, Mabel comes walking up as she rubs the sleep from her eyes.

"Mabel!" Ryan shouts happily as he walks towards her. Mabel slaps him across the face, her earlier tired look giving way to anger.

"That's for kissing me without my permission." Mabel says before slapping Ryan across the other cheek.

"And that's for waking me up!" she shouts.

Ryan begins tearing at the eyes before running off, holding his wounded face.

"Wow, that was awesome!" Dipper says in approval of Mabel's feistiness.

"Come on, boys, I'm getting hungry." Mabel says before walking away, Dipper and his father nodding in approval of Mabel's newfound strength.

"What changed?" Dipper's father asked.

"Don't know, but I like the new Mabel."

"Agreed. Now let's go get some pancakes."

Dipper and his dad walk back inside. Dipper and Mabel sit down across from each other before their mother places their pancakes down. The twins begin to dig in.

"_Everything's changed._" Dipper thinks to himself.

"_And nothing's changed._"

"Race you to the finish?" Mabel asks.

"No cheating."

"Why, I'd never!"

Mabel and Dipper prepare to start their race, their father looking on amusedly while their mother shakes her head in disbelief.


End file.
